How do I contact the AT&T postmaster and what domains are associated with their email filtering?

Key findings

• Postmaster Contact: AT&T does maintain a postmaster support page, providing contact information like abuse_rbl@abuse-att.net for RBL inquiries. However, the effectiveness of this contact method has varied over time, given the transitions in their email infrastructure.
• Domain Association: While att.net often redirects to Yahoo-powered portals (e.g., currently.att.yahoo.com), the underlying email filtering for AT&T's legacy domains is often distinct from Yahoo's (Verizon Media's) primary filtering systems.
• Legacy Domains: A wide range of former baby bell domains are associated with AT&T's filtering. These include bellsouth.net, sbcglobal.net, prodigy.net, snet.net, ameritech.net, nvbell.net, pacbell.net, swbell.net, flash.net, and worldnet.att.net.
• Filtering Mechanism: Despite shared front-ends, AT&T's email filtering operates independently from Yahoo/Verizon's, meaning that being blocked by one does not automatically mean being blocked by the other, and vice versa.

Key considerations

• Direct Contact: For issues specific to AT&T email domains, it's essential to attempt contact through their official postmaster support resources, even if their responsiveness has been inconsistent.
• Verify Blocklistings: If you are experiencing deliverability issues to AT&T domains, ensure you check if your IP or domain is listed on their internal blocklists, which may not always be public. Submitting an inquiry might require a Non-Delivery Report (NDR).
• Differentiated Filtering: Do not assume that deliverability to Yahoo or AOL automatically translates to AT&T domains. Their filtering systems can behave differently, requiring separate monitoring and troubleshooting. Consult a guide on contacting mailbox providers.
• Monitor Deliverability: Regularly monitor your email sending reputation and bounce rates specifically for AT&T and its associated domains. Pay attention to reverse DNS records, as they can indicate the ultimate mail handling entity (e.g., prodigy.net).

Key opinions

• Complex Ownership: Many marketers recognize that AT&T's email is deeply layered, involving Prodigy, Yahoo, and Verizon, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact filtering authority.
• Contact Challenges: There's a common sentiment that while an AT&T postmaster contact (e.g., abuse_rbl@abuse-att.net) exists, its responsiveness or efficacy can be questionable due to its age or infrastructure changes.
• Distinct Filtering: Marketers often observe that AT&T domains (like att.net, sbcglobal.net) are subject to different blocklistings and filtering rules compared to Yahoo/AOL, even if the front-end user experience is similar.
• Redirects vs. Routing: There's an understanding that a web redirect (e.g., my.att.net to currently.att.yahoo.com) does not necessarily mean the email delivery path or filtering logic is identical.
• Associated Domains: Marketers are aware of the extensive list of legacy domains that fall under AT&T's email filtering umbrella, including various 'baby bell' names.

Key considerations

• Targeted Appeals: When addressing blocklistings, marketers should aim to contact AT&T's postmaster directly, rather than relying solely on Yahoo/Verizon channels, as their filtering is often separate. More details on appealing blocklists can be found in our guide to email blocklists.
• Evidence for Appeals: Be prepared to provide Non-Delivery Reports (NDRs) or other bounce messages when submitting inquiries, as this information is often required by AT&T for troubleshooting.
• Understanding Routing: Recognize that while email might eventually pass through Yahoo's infrastructure, the initial filtering decision for AT&T domains may occur within AT&T's own network, as indicated by reverse DNS of prodigy.net for many bounces.
• Sender Reputation: Maintain strong sending practices and monitor your IP and domain reputation carefully to prevent listings on AT&T's internal blocklists, which are known to be aggressive.

Key opinions

• Independent Filtering: Experts widely agree that AT&T's filtering system operates somewhat independently, even if mail is eventually passed to Yahoo (Verizon Media) for final delivery or interface. This distinction is crucial for senders facing blocks.
• Leveraging Postmaster Tools: The existence of an AT&T postmaster contact, however outdated, suggests an official channel for addressing deliverability concerns, and experts recommend utilizing it.
• Bounce Analysis: Analyzing bounce messages and understanding the associated reverse DNS (e.g., prodigy.net) is key to diagnosing issues with AT&T domains.
• Legacy Domain Impact: The historical baby bell domains (like bellsouth.net, sbcglobal.net) often behave similarly under AT&T's filtering, requiring consolidated deliverability strategies.

Key considerations

• Reputation Management: Experts advise that a strong sending reputation, adhering to best practices, is the most effective way to avoid blocklists at AT&T and other providers. Our guide on fixing emails going to spam offers comprehensive solutions.
• Specific Delisting Process: If blocklisted, senders should follow the specific delisting procedures outlined by AT&T, which may differ from those of other major ISPs. This often involves providing bounce details and proof of good sending practices.
• Continuous Monitoring: Given the aggressive nature of some AT&T spam filters, continuous monitoring of deliverability metrics (bounce rates, complaint rates) for these specific domains is paramount. This allows for proactive intervention.
• Understanding Infrastructure: Delving into how AT&T's mail transfer agents (MTAs) operate within their network versus how mail is eventually handled by Yahoo (VM) is crucial for advanced troubleshooting. Our analysis of Yahoo's AT&T mail routing changes provides further insight.

Key findings

• Dedicated Postmaster Page: AT&T provides a specific support page for postmasters and service providers seeking information on their email service and issue resolution (att.com/support/article/email-support/KM1401980/).
• RBL Contact: The email address abuse_rbl@abuse-att.net is listed on AT&T's postmaster support page as a contact point for Real-time Block List inquiries.
• Yahoo Integration: Yahoo Postmaster documentation explicitly states that MX records for AT&T domains were updated to point to Yahoo, meaning email sent to AT&T users is routed through Yahoo's infrastructure (blog.postmaster.yahooinc.com).
• User Filtering Tools: AT&T also provides guidance for end-users on how to create filters to manage emails and direct them to spam, specific folders, or the inbox, indicating a degree of user-controlled filtering (att.com/support/article/email-support/KM1063244/).

Key considerations

• Dual Responsibility: While Yahoo handles the routing, AT&T's continued provision of a postmaster contact and specific abuse email suggests a shared or tiered responsibility for email filtering and blocklisting for their branded domains. This often means senders might need to engage with both.
• Monitoring Postmaster Sites: Senders should regularly check both AT&T's and Yahoo's postmaster sites for updates on deliverability policies, blocklist removal procedures, and any changes in email routing. Our guide to postmaster tools provides context for similar systems.
• Understanding Routing Changes: The shift in MX records to Yahoo signifies that Yahoo's mail systems play a significant role in final delivery and filtering for AT&T emails, even if AT&T maintains some level of oversight or internal blocklists. This is a critical aspect when troubleshooting AT&T email blocks.